


Dreaming

by TreeDaddyD



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, Angst, Demons, Drug Addiction, Drug Dealing, Drug Use, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Healthy Relationship, Healing, Human Trafficking, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Murder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Abuse, Physical Abuse, Rave culture, Slow Burn, not between Harry and Tom, occultism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:00:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23673487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TreeDaddyD/pseuds/TreeDaddyD
Summary: Harry ends up in America after leaving Britain to get away from mob boss Gellert Grindelwald. When he's forced to return, Harry meets Tom Riddle, a man who wants Grindelwald dead as much as he does. From there, things get...complicated.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle, Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Luna Lovegood & Harry Potter
Comments: 24
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you [Spencebox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spencebox/pseuds/Spencebox) for betaing! :)

There was always a catch - a cost whenever Will paid him a visit.

“Come out with me tonight,” Will said, looking down at Harry who was sprawled out on Erik’s leather couch. While Harry still hadn’t recovered from the party three days ago, he couldn’t say no to a rave, especially when Will was involved. And while Will always made him sell drugs at said parties, there was always some sort of payoff. Usually in the form of free drugs, and Harry wasn’t one to say no to free drugs.

“I will, but only if you let me crash at your place for the next couple of days.” Harry had overstayed his welcome at Erik’s house, and wanted a backup in case he couldn’t find anyone tonight. 

Will snorted. “I’m getting evicted next week, but sure, why not - enjoy the dump before it’s gone.”

Harry sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. Even if he couldn’t find someone tonight, it would take him another day or two at most. All he needed was a bit of cushion room so he didn’t have to worry about being homeless. It was never hard finding men. One perk to staying in Chicago was there were never a shortage of parties and people at those parties who wanted to fuck and pretend that their relationship was going to last more than a few days at most. 

While these parties were most of the time fun, he had to always be on high alert. Predators were everywhere. He didn’t want to get raped or fuck creeps. He would intuitively discern who was worth sleeping with and who wasn’t. His gut (most of the time) never failed him. 

“Where will it be this time?” Harry asked. 

“The North side.”

Those were always the best, always filled with older rich men who thought they could tame him. He was 23 but looked younger, and knew how to play up his youth. Those kinds of men always wanted young twinks, the younger the better. Grindelwald popped into his mind and he winced. Now that was an older rich man he hoped he would never see again. 

Will’s phone buzzed and he flipped it open and smirked. “Guess we’re rolling tonight.” 

“Your source finally got back to you?”

“Right on time. And here I was thinking that I’d have to sell the rest of the weed I have.”

“I’m guessing you need help selling?” It was a dumb question. Will wouldn’t be here otherwise. 

“Could we split the profit this time?” Harry needed money desperately. The money he stole from Grindelwald was running out. Pretty soon it’d be completely out and when that happened, he’d be in trouble. Harry couldn’t get a normal job without citizenship or a visa, and not to mention Grindelwald had eyes and ears everywhere. Getting caught wasn’t an option, he wasn’t going _back_. 

Will looked up from his phone with a sinister smirk, head tilted to the side. “Splitting the profits?” He spoke as if it was a joke. 

And maybe to him it was; He was stingy with his money and generally lacked most human emotions. Harry wasn’t stupid - the only reason Will kept him around was because he wanted help selling drugs. Their relationship was purely transactional - Harry would get free drugs, would know where the good parties were and occasionally have a place to sleep, and Will would have help selling, though he’d hoped that maybe Will would eventually start sharing the money Harry made him. Guess they weren’t there yet.

“Forget I said it.” Harry stood up and went to find his pants, which were somewhere scattered on the floor. The living room had his and Erik’s things everywhere, making it hard to find anything. Luckily, he didn’t have much and his things were easy to spot. 

Harry stepped into his pants, zipping up his fly as Will said, “Anyways, I’m pushing a lot tonight, so you’ll have to be prepared. I don’t want a dry night. You got me?” 

“I get it, will do,” Harry said as he packed up the rest of his things. 

“Do you really?” Harry turned around to Will’s intense stare and rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll keep a look out and I won’t get too fucked up.” Will nodded, though kept a skeptical look on his face.

“Good because last thing I need is for you getting too fucked up and pulling the shit you did last time.”

Harry tried not to wince at Will’s scathing tone; he had almost gotten them arrested the last time he rolled, but it wasn’t completely his fault - the undercover had provoked him and Harry hated that he looked so much like _Grindelwald_. 

“To put your mind to ease I’ll only do one hit, _sweetheart_ ,” Harry sneered, knowing Will hated that pet name. 

Will sighed. “Hurry up and get your shit together so we can go already. This place is giving me the creeps.”

Harry could empathize - it gave him the creeps too. It wasn’t just the grey walls or the bareness or even the fact that it was so messy, but the vibe of the place reminded him too much of Erik himself, who was a fairly creepy dude. Erik had already said the L word and the last time they talked, kept trying to bring up commitment. 

It wasn’t just that that felt off, but whenever he looked at Harry, there was a slight glaze as if he was in love. Harry knew men like that were trouble. He had tried to keep up a relationship like that with a man in London and he ended stalking Harry for a month before trying to kill him. Grindelwald ended up killing the man and had threatened to frame Harry for his murder. It was one of the ways Grindelwald had been able to keep his claws in Harry for so long, and he wasn’t one for repeating history. 

With the last of his things packed, he grabbed the 20 and the Armani cologne in Erik’s room on the dresser. The idiot even gave Harry spending money for the day. “Let’s go.”

Will nodded and they headed back to Will’s place. They walked in silence, the sounds of the city filling the space between them. 

As they walked, memories flooded his mind. No matter how many times he tried to purge and forget them, his mind wouldn’t cooperate. One memory in particular played on repeat:

_A laugh, sickening, almost as sickening as what Grindelwald was doing to him._

_“I said stop.” Harry hated it, hated that he wouldn’t be able to survive without him. There was nowhere else to go, nothing to do, but he didn’t want to give in._

_“Don’t refuse me,” he said and slapped Harry’s head lightly. A warning, but one that he knew he would follow up on. The bruises from the last time Harry refused were still healing._

_It was gross, he felt so gross. But there was no way to stop it. Grindelwald was all he had after his parents had died and his foster parents had thrown him out. It was this or the streets and anything was better than the streets._

_Harry turned his head and tried to relax. It would all be over soon._

_“Good boy.”_

Those words were stuck in his head and the memory of that night wouldn’t leave him. Years did nothing to purge the man from his mind. Drugs and alcohol only gave him temporary relief. It had been over 4 years since he had seen Grindelwald and yet he haunted him like a ghost, his touch still lingering like a disease on his skin. 

“- ry!” 

Harry blinked to find that they were already at his apartment and Will was looking at him expectantly. 

“Did you hear me?” Will asked. 

“Sorry, what was that again? 

Will huffed. “I said I was going to pick the shit up if you wanted to start to get ready.”

Harry nodded. “Yeah, sounds good.” 

Will took off, and Harry went inside before closing the door, the memory still refusing to leave him. He wanted to pace, but the anxiety left him frozen in place, his back to the door, hand going into his hair. His mania and PTSD was always a lethal combination. 

More memories came to the surface quickly, too quick for him to process or stop, hitting him hard like a runaway train on broken tracks. Grindelwald, his dead parents’ limp bodies hanging above him, protecting him. He slid down, curling into himself, but had too much energy to stay still. Pulling his hair while he twitched his fingers as the memories just keep coming: 

_He woke up to his parents’ dead bodies curled around him, the scent of blood overwhelming his senses._

_“Mom! Dad!” It doesn’t take long for him to start hyperventilating, not able to move or get up. The world spun until the police pulled him from underneath his parents. The situation became clearer as the limp bodies of his other family members came into view and then, he passed out._

With that one, he jumped up and then started pacing around the apartment, attempting to stomp the look of their dead bodies from his mind. That went on for about 5 minutes until he decided to go get ready for the party. 

It never completely helped stop those memories from coming back, but it did do something and something was all he wanted. 

Harry took a shower, mind spinning and yet going nowhere. When he was done, he looked down and realized he had scrubbed his skin raw again. He shrugged it off and then started to get ready, trying to not have a breakdown. 

Not tonight, not when ecstasy and an escape were so close. He chose an outfit that showed the most skin - booty shorts and a crop top that said ‘oui’ with a black choker. He briefly wondered what he should do with his hair before settling on putting it up in a short ponytail. It was getting longer than he usually liked it, but it was easier to sell the image he wanted to with longer hair rather than with a buzz cut. Older men loved it and he was broke. He had to make money one way or another. 

The front door opened and slammed before he heard the sound of footsteps coming towards the bathroom. “Harry?”

“In here,” he said while putting on a little eyeliner. 

“Let’s get there earlier this time, just in case the cops show up,” Will said, peeking in but not coming in all the way. 

“So I’m guessing we should leave soon?”

“Yeah, 20 minutes.” 

Harry hummed. “Extra early then. We might be the first ones there.” He finished up his eyeliner and turned towards Will. “I can take mine now before I put on lipgloss.” Not that it actually mattered, but he just wanted everything to feel _good_ already.

“Your call.” He handed Harry a bag with two pills filled with the crystallized form of Molly and quickly swallowed one before putting the other in his pocket for later. 

“Thanks,” Harry said, then started putting on a light pink lip gloss to finish off his look. 

Will stepped more fully in and hummed, looking appreciatively at Harry’s body. “I like it. Even I’d fuck you.”

“Oh would you now?” Harry rubbed his lips together and then turned back towards Will, knowing he wouldn’t actually fuck him. Harry had been interested in the beginning, but as he got to know the other man, that interest had waned. Still didn’t stop him from flirting, hoping one day Will might grow a heart and start paying him more.

Will laughed and shook his head. “Nice try.” And that was the end of that. 

Not long after, they ended up walking to the party. It was a good spot that was nice and secluded - well, as secluded as you could get in Chicago, and Harry had a feeling the cops wouldn’t be raiding tonight. It was in an abandoned warehouse away from the main roads, behind five other warehouses. The music was loud, but the warehouse seemed more soundproof than most so you could hear it up close, but not from the road. 

When they arrived, Harry did what he normally does and scoped out the place with Will. There weren’t many at the party yet, 6 including the DJ, with most just being stragglers. In an hour or two, it’d be more packed, more bodies than one could count all gyrating and high out of their minds. 

There weren’t many decorations, only a fog machine and light that bathed the dance floor in different colors, switching every 10 minutes. The light switched from red to green as he looked out on the crowd. The DJ played house music behind his equipment, head bobbing, headphones on, as he looked at his laptop then turntable as the song switched. The music’s bass was deep and infectious and he felt the drug finally kick in as the fog grew thicker. 

His excitement grew as his high swelled. Tonight was going to be _good_. He was going to catch someone new and dance until he couldn’t remember himself. God, he couldn’t wait. 

Harry started dancing, slow at first, eyes closed as he felt the sensations flood his body, a light buzz that spread through every limb. When he opened his eyes, he scanned the other people there, not recognizing anyone and seeing no one of interest. He closed his eyes again as he danced, letting the music and the molly fill him up. 

He was just waiting for the peak to hit when broad hands skimmed their way onto his hips, fingers spreading onto the front of his pants and tugging him back into a hard body.

Harry opened his eyes and turned to find a decently attractive man with short brown hair and bright blue eyes that he’d somehow missed in the crowd. The man leaned in to try and talk but Harry gave a woozy grin at the man’s smile, wishing those lips were somewhere else.

The man continued to try and talk but Harry wasn’t having any of it, grinding his ass against the crotch pressed against him, grinning in glee when the man’s grinding grew more desperate.

Harry eventually turned around and started making out with him, hands going to the loops in his jeans, pressing closer. At this point, the molly was really starting to kick in and all he wanted to do was fuck. The man followed his lead, pressing as close as he possibly could, grinding and moving their hips to the beat. The man’s dick was hard, pressed against him. It was huge, much bigger than the last one but whether he actually knew what to do with it was still up in the air. 

They separated for a moment, his eyes darting to meet Will’s expectant face a couple feet away on the dance floor, suddenly remembering that he had a job to do. 

He leaned forward, lips meeting the man’s left ear. First, a small kiss to his ear lobe before Harry whispered, “You’re gorgeous and I would love to continue this, but alas, I have work to do.” 

Probably too much information, but god, this molly batch was good. His brain felt a little fuzzy and while he’d rather suck this man off right here on the dance floor, he did promise he’d help Will sell. 

The man laughed, hands groping his ass and murmuring, “There’s always after.” The man’s sweet sultry voice only made him harder, but he restrained himself. He had a job to do afterall.

“Yes, there is always after.” Harry pushed them closer, making sure he rubbed against the other's dick. He gave the man a mischievous smirk before skirting away to Will. 

Harry hugged Will and felt the drugs slip into his back pocket. “Make sure you get 10 to 15 for each hit,” Will said into his ear before they separated. 

Depending on the party, Will would either give them to him before or after, wanting to scope it out himself first before giving Harry what he knew he could sell. Will was a cautious man and didn’t trust him fully, but knew he would get the job done. There were some parties that Will didn’t give him any drugs to sell, but those were the parties that had undercover cops, or Harry was just too fucked up to successfully sell jack shit. While Will didn’t trust him, he did try his best to help him not get busted the best he could. 

Harry turned back to the dance floor, watching it slowly fill up. It was pretty early, still only 10, so the party wasn’t in full swing just yet. 

Harry liked to take things slow when scoping people out to sell to. While he was pretty fucked up, Harry wasn’t so fucked up he couldn’t hear his intuition. He had a strong gut and most of the time knew who to sell to and who to not. People gave a lot away when they thought others weren’t looking. He always used that to his advantage. 

Time flew by as he scoped the partygoers out, feeling the drug kick in more and more. He hadn’t peaked yet, but it’d only be another hour or so. As the party had filled up a little more, he started his rounds. 

Lucky for Harry, this was an easy night. 

It took all but 20 minutes to sell all of his stock. He returned to Will with the money right away so he wouldn’t lose any of it. Seeing as he was getting higher and didn’t want to have more responsibilities than needed, he saw it best to return Will’s money and enjoy the rest of the night, hopefully getting some dick in the process. Fuck all of this dealer shit when molly just made him feel so _good_. He just wanted to dance and fuck, hell, maybe even at the same time. 

Harry surveyed the party once more, looking for the man from earlier. He was nowhere to be found so he looked at the others, trying to find the perfect man to give him what he wanted. Maybe he’d find him another rich man, one who actually was good in bed this time. Knowing his luck, that was a 50/50 chance. 

There were a good amount of familiar faces now. Most of which he knew from selling drugs, but some were faces he recognized but couldn’t quite put, so he left those ones alone. Those were the ones he couldn’t remember if he fucked them or not. He tried not to fuck the same man twice. Mostly out of safety reasons - after all, you can’t get attached if it’s only once. Well, except for Erik, the bastard. 

The music was loud, thumping through his chest and feeling more and more pronounced as his high got higher and higher. He was really feeling it now. Another man joined the other DJ and the music got better and more dynamic. While he could dance to anything while high, he loved when the music was actually good. 

Before he would decide on who to pursue, he’d need a cigarette. Being fucked up made him crave them more than anything. He reached for his cigarettes in his front pocket before realizing he left them at Erik’s, internally cursing the other man. 

Harry searched the room for Will to bum a cigarette off of and found him dancing by himself on the dance floor. He most likely ran out of product to sell and decided to finally join in on the fun. He looked fucked up. Good, Will was nicer when he was fucked up. Coming up to him, Harry leaned in and asked for a cigarette. 

“Sure.” Will pulled out a cigarette from his coat pocket and handed it to Harry. 

“Thanks.” Harry smiled before making his way outside. 

The noise shifted to a dull pulse. There weren’t many others outside, only a few smoking and talking scattered about the wall. The abandoned warehouse had a field on the backside of it. Harry went to the field and laid down, looking at the grey sky. He put the cigarette between his lips then realized he didn’t have a lighter, wanting to kick himself in the backside for having a smoke he couldn’t even light. 

He put the cigarette in his pocket before he sat up on his elbows, looking at the others around him. Some of the people smoking looked unapproachable or like they’d fuck up his high. Couldn’t have that. His eyes landed on a lone man, leaning on the wall behind him...and oh _yes_ , it was the _gorgeous_ man from earlier. Harry wanted to fuck him even more. 

Harry made his way to the man. The other didn’t notice him until he was a couple of feet away. 

“I never got your name?” Harry said as the other man turned then smirked.

“No you didn’t.” The man took another drag of his cigarette before crushing it against the building. “Though I am willing to finish what we started.” 

So it was like _that_. Good, this one wouldn’t get attached. He preferred one night stands. Two to three nights at most. 

Harry hummed as he closed the distance between them, close enough for a kiss. “I like you,” he said before kissing the other. It was surprisingly soft at first, the other man’s lips and tongue felt like heaven, soft and warm. Harry wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, backing him further into the wall and grinning when the positions switched and Harry was slammed into the hard concrete. His brain was turning into mush, thoughts becoming sluggish and unclear, only focusing on the warm body against his own, as well as the wet mouth tonging at his neck. Everything was just so warm, and he just wanted more. He pushed them closer, grinding his groin on the other’s. 

The man pulled back for a second before saying, “This is a little too public for my tastes. My house isn’t too far away.”

Harry just nodded, his desire and high rendering him silent. The other man led him back to his car. Warning bells somewhere in his head were going off, but he was too high and horny to care, simply smiling and allowing himself to be dragged away.

They both got in the car, but before Harry could say anything else, the other slammed a syringe into his neck. 

_Fuck_ , was all he thought before everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much [relic_crown](https://archiveofourown.org/users/relic_crown/pseuds/relic_crown) and [Spencebox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spencebox/pseuds/Spencebox) for betaing. Go check out their stories. A+ content.

“ - asked. Now, give me the money I was promised.” 

Everything was hazy. His eyelids felt heavy as he opened them to velvet darkness. His body was numb. Where was he? Harry tried to move around, but rope binds around his wrists and ankles stopped his movement.

The previous events hit him and he gasped. _Fuck._

“It’s been wired to your account. Now, where is he?” It was a voice he hadn’t heard in years, one that he’d kill to never hear again. 

_Grindelwald_. 

Harry started shaking, his mind sharpening, adrenaline filling him. _How had he found him?_ He’d made sure to cover his tracks well: entering through Canada with a fake passport and avoiding places that would document his whereabouts. 

The trunk opened to the sight of Grindelwald, smirking coldly and staring down at him like he was a bug. He cut Harry’s bindings before saying, “Get out.” 

Harry froze; his body wanted to run, but he couldn’t seem to move. The memories flooded him in an instant: the abuse, the threats.

All of the brutal rape. 

His breath hitched as he curled into himself. Grindlewald kept staring. 

“You know I don’t ask twice, _Harry_.” 

Harry willed his body to fight back, to do something, _anything_ , to get away, but he couldn’t. Not when he knew what Grindelwald was capable of, not when his body remembered every moment of pain. It took every bit of strength within him to stop his panic attack and get up. When he finally did, Harry gripped his pants, eyes toward the ground. “Yes, sir.” _Please don’t hurt me_. 

“Good boy,” Grindlelwald said, hand going to his hair before stroking his cheek. Harry did his best to not flinch. “Now, we have much to do.” 

Harry nodded and followed him to a black car, two guards tailing them. The guards got into the front seats, but Grindelwald paused in front of one of the rear doors. “You haven’t forgotten now, have you? Open the door.” So Harry did and got in after Grindelwald, sitting in the seat next to him.

“No, you’ll sit on the ground. Sitting in the seat next to me is a privilege.” Harry obeyed silently. 

The space on the ground wasn’t too bad. While the front seat didn’t leave much room, it made him feel a bit safer to be squeezed between the back and front seats. 

“It cost me a lot of money to find you.” Grindelwald paused. Harry didn’t dare look up. “You’ll pay all of it back, won’t you, Harry?” When Harry didn’t reply, Grindelwald grabbed his hair tightly, sharp pain traveling through his scalp as the other man pulled his head up for their eyes to meet. His heterochromic eyes were cold, a sneer twisted on his lips.

“Y-yes I’ll pay you back. In whatever way I can.” Grindelwald’s grip went tighter and Harry whimpered. “I promise I’ll pay,” he sputtered out when the pain became unbearable. 

Grindelwald didn’t let go, but continued staring, unnerving Harry, before pushing his head into the front seat so far he could feel the driver’s back. “One-hundred fifty-eight thousand pounds - that’s how much your little stunt cost me. You have two choices, you can either be a dancer, or be sold to the highest bidder. Which will it be?”

“I’ll be a dancer,” Harry cried out. His body felt heavy as he started hyperventilating. _Fuck_ , he thought as he started having the second panic attack of the night. 

Grindelwald pressed his face harder into the seat. “Dancer what?”

“Dancer, sir,” he managed to get out before his hyperventilating got worse. 

“Shut up!” Grindelwald snapped. His silk suede shoes lashed out, landing on Harry’s legs then stomach. Harry would have doubled over if his head wasn’t pressed against the seat.

Harry just couldn’t stop his panic attack this time. No matter how much he willed it, he just couldn’t. He knew how temperamental Grindelwald was - he might kill him in his fit of rage. 

“P-please - “ Harry began before Grindelwald’s kicks became more brutal, his legs, arms, and torso starting to bleed. 

“I said shut up!” Grindelwald shoved his head back before reaching into his pocket to grab a bag with blue powder. He grabbed Harry’s head once again, and forced the powder down his throat. Almost instantaneously, his body relaxed and his brain got fuzzy. All of the pain seemed to fade into the background. It felt… good. 

The panic attack stopped. He sank into his spot on the ground. 

“Fuck, I used way too much. Oh well, we could probably start you off tonight. You won’t need much to work the back.”

At this point, Harry wasn’t listening. Couldn’t keep his mind focused on anything but this sensation. Better than molly. Better than weed. Even better than those pain pills Will used to give to him. 

It was heaven. 

Grindelwald sighed as he considered Harry’s blissed out expression. “I really did give you too much. Well, at least tonight you’ll make me a lot of money.” 

Moments blurred and Harry didn’t notice when the car had stopped, nor when they hauled him into the back to dress his wounds and clean him up. He didn’t notice when a man twice his size climbed on top of him nor when he left. 

By the time Harry came to, the fifth man had finished and was putting his pants on. His head hurt, but his ass hurt even more. The man left and Harry took a deep breath as he looked down at his naked body, cum dripping out of his ass. 

This time when he shook it wasn’t with fear, but with rage. 

Resolve filled him as he clenched his fists. There was no other way forward: Grindelwald had to die. Even if Harry died in the process, that man was _dead_.

A knock on the door startled him out of his thoughts. “You have to be out in 20.”

Harry pulled his pants up and opened the door to a gruff looking man. 

“Where am I exactly?” Harry asked.

The man frowned. “You’re another one of those, aren’t you?” He shook his head. “Grindelwald really likes to try my patience.”

Harry remained silent. What had he gotten himself into? 

“I’ll start off with the basics then. This place is called Red Hot and I’m Rodolphus, the head manager who you will report to. Well, unless Grindelwald requires your attention.” The man sized him up. “I don’t usually get men, but I can see the appeal of placing you here. You’ll do well.” He paused for a moment, giving him a look he couldn’t quite decipher.

“You have a choice - you can either fuck two men every night night or you can dance three to four times and give lap dances.” 

Harry did his best not to curse the man out; he bit his lip as rage filled him for the second time that night. Grindelwald had scheduled five men knowing what he was doing, had drugged him with an unknown substance and forced him here. More than anything, Harry wished he could wring the fuckers' neck. 

A small part of him was afraid. This man could do anything he wanted to him and he would be helpless. Absolutely helpless. 

Harry pushed that small part of him down. He was not going to let his abuser have any more power over him. 

Not anymore. 

“I would rather dance.” A pause. “Where do I sleep?” 

“Every dancer has their own dressing room with a futon and a pillow and blanket. We also have a kitchen and a bathroom.” Rodolphus gave him a sharp look. “So you won’t need to leave often. Grindelwald doesn’t want you going out alone too much. Says you're a runner.” 

Harry nodded. “I won’t run.” And he wasn’t lying, Harry was done with running. He was done with letting that man haunt him. He wouldn’t be satisfied until Grindelwald was dead. 

Rodolphus smirked. “That’s what they all say.” The other man went to leave, but before he did, he turned. “And before I forget, one of the girls is going to take you out to go shopping tomorrow. Be up by at least noon.”

“But how will I know the time?”

“Everything you need is in your room, which I’ll show you now.” His eyes went down to the mess of cum around him. Harry winced suddenly remembering that many of the men didn’t use condoms that night. God, he hoped he didn’t get anything. “We have mandatory testing every Tuesday. I suggest you be there.” Harry nodded. Thank god. 

Harry followed Rodolphus down the hallway they were in. There were five or six closed doorways in the bright hallway. The walls were painted red with gaudy decorations like leopard print fabric hung up in picture frames. The lights along the wall aligned well with the name of the place: ‘ _Red Hot’_. If the situation wasn’t as serious as it was, he would laugh; it looked like they hadn’t redecorated since the 70s. 

The hallway led to a main room where the bar and poles were. There were four poles, though only one was being used at the moment. The main room was more modern and well decorated than the hallway. It had good lighting and a mix of steel, glass, and soft red decorations. 

There weren’t many people around: five customers watching and giving money to the dancer on stage. The dancer was ethereal in her own way. Long almost white blond hair with pale blue eyes. She had the kind of look in her eyes that he usually saw in people who hadn’t been broken by life yet. 

Harry wondered how long that would last. 

They walked across the room to a hallway next to the bar. This hallway was plain compared to the other parts of the strip club with white walls and wooden doors with no decorations. His room was the third door on the left. It was small in size; the futon was black and big enough for him to sprawl out on but that was it. A vanity mirror with a wooden chair in front and a desk sat across from the futon. 

“Will I get meals?” Harry asked. 

“Yes, the last room to the left is the kitchen.” Rodolphus gave him a hard look. “I wouldn’t suggest going overboard on the food or drugs. Everyone has to share.” _And I don’t want you to cost me more money than you have to,_ went unsaid. 

“Will do,” Harry said, lying through his teeth. He wanted to inconvenience Grindelwald and his associates in any ways he could, especially if they were going to be making money off of him without giving any of it back

Rodolphus nodded silently before leaving. Harry closed the door and locked it before sliding down it, letting out a deep breath. 

So, this was his life now. 

Harry grabbed his hair before pulling. The drug’s effects were almost gone, leaving him at the mercy of his brain. 

While Harry talked a big game, Grindelwald still haunted his nightmares. He knew the flashbacks and anxiety wouldn’t just go away. Being bipolar, his moods could also easily change on him giving way to what felt like a completely different Harry, and Harry would be helpless to stop them. 

Well, there was one way to shut off his brain. He let go of his hair and stared up at the white ceiling. While Grindelwald was an ass, he had given him a drug that made his mind almost completely silent, which had never happened before. While the dose he had been given was too much, a smaller dose would most likely be the best of both worlds: quieting his mind while allowing him to have some autonomy. He wasn’t completely sure, but the drug was probably somewhere in the kitchen. Getting up, he unlocked the door and went to explore, feeling a bit on edge.

The room was bigger than he expected. It had all of the usual kitchen furniture and plenty of space left over. It was sleek and minimalist, and not a thing out of place. 

Harry immediately started going through the drawers, looking for the blue powder Grindelwald had given him. The first couple of drawers he searched had nothing out of the ordinary - silverware, food, tools. 

Harry checked the fridge first then the freezer. Both were packed full of foods: fruit, veggies, fancy cheese, frozen meals. For a place that tried to not spend that much money, the fridge was surprisingly full. But then again, good food was just an investment. Their bodies were, after all, what they were selling. 

No drugs in the fridge. 

Harry eyed the rest of the room. Maybe there was a secret compartment somewhere? His eyes stopped on a cupboard he had somehow missed. It was a bit hidden below shelves that held boxes and canned goods. He opened it and- _ah, there it is._

All labeled neatly with a sharpie in little bags that held enough for a dose or two. He found what he was looking for on the second shelf and something in him relaxed. Ann it said. So ann was the drug that would get him through this nightmare. 

He grabbed a bag before looking around for the bathroom. When he found it, he took a quick shower then headed back to his room, locking the door, and sprawling out on the futon. If nothing else, he had a way to combat his weaknesses. 

More than anything, Harry needed strength to push through. That was all he could ask for.

* * *

A knock sounded at his door. Harry woke up groggily, not recognizing his surroundings before everything came back to him. Right, this was his life now. 

“I’m here to help you pick up your clothes. I can come back later if you’re not ready,” a woman’s voice said from behind the door. Shit, he totally forgot to set an alarm. 

“Sorry, I’m almost ready. Just give me a second.” He sprang up, going to the vanity first to see if he was presentable before opening the door to the girl who was dancing last night. She looked a little different than she did the night before. Instead of the glamorous and racy clothing of last night, she wore bohemian-style clothing, hair up with radish hair pins. He could already tell she was going to be an interesting character. 

With a small smile, she gave him a blueberry muffin. “I figured you’d be hungry.” 

And he was. While a lot of the time drugs suppressed his hunger well into the next day, this drug didn’t which was a plus. He was already skinnier than what was probably healthy, as consistent meals in Chicago were a rarity. 

Harry took the muffin and smiled back. “Thanks.” 

“No problem at all. You seemed pretty out of it last night. I figured I’d have to wake you up.” She hummed. “Best not to get that fucked up here again. Parasites everywhere.” 

“Parasites?” 

“You’ll see when you start working, best to try to protect yourself.” 

Harry nodded. He could understand that sentiment. There were fuckers everywhere who, if given the chance, would try to exploit or harm anyone they could. 

“So where are we going today? What’s the budget?” While he wasn’t a fan of getting dressed up for anyone here, he did love dressing well for himself. He also really loved the idea of milking Grindelwald and his associates for all they were worth. Might as well get what he could, while he could. 

“That really won’t matter.” The woman shrugged. “The credit card doesn’t have a limit. And we’ll probably want to be back by five or six to get ready for tonight.”

No limit, huh? Well, he’d just have to go wild wouldn’t he?

She extended her hand. “My name’s Luna by the way.”

“Harry,” he said before shaking her hand, watching as her face lit up with the handshake. She seemed genuinely happy to meet him. Strange, but he wasn’t going to question it. Way too early for that. 

They left not long after that, a small part of him excited. There was something about Luna that made him feel comfortable and that rarely happened. Even if that changed, shopping would be a much needed escape.

And Harry needed as many escapes he could get.

* * *

Harry immediately insisted that they went to the gayest, most expensive boutique in town. Might as well have fun while they were at it. As soon as they went in, he combed the aisles, putting anything that looked mildly interesting in his basket. When he was done, he tried on the clothing he picked out and most of them ended up in the keep pile. 

“What about this one?” Harry asked, looking at himself in the mirror. 

This was by far the most out-there outfit yet and that was saying something. Cheetah print overalls, but instead of the bottom being pants, was a mini-skirt. He paired them up with golden stockings and a large white faux-fur coat. While Harry loved playing with his gender, this might be a bit...much. “I don’t know about this.”

“Harry, you look like a Bratz doll - of course you should get it! You look so cute.” 

“Yeah, but is that what I really want to go for?” 

Luna hummed. “Venus _is_ in retrograde, I can see why you’d be hesitant.”

“I have no clue what you’re talking about, but I do think I’d rather spend more money than not.” After removing the coat, he turned around, looking appreciatively at his ass. 

They went to seven more stores, all of which Harry bought a ridiculous amount of clothes from. Luna was supportive through the whole thing, cheering him on no matter what the outfit was. He did his best to spend as much money as he could. Harry tried to get Luna to spend more than she did, but she would just say, “I will if it calls to me.” And they left it at that. 

They went back at five, arms heavy with bags, light in spirits. Maybe it was all of the wonderful clothes that he got, or maybe it was Luna’s bright smile. All he knew was that, even if he was going to die soon, at least he got to meet Luna and spend a bunch of Grindelwald’s money, which was definitely a win in his book. 

When they got back, they immediately went to put all of their clothing into their respective rooms. The hallway was busy with eleven other dancers getting ready, most of whom didn’t pay him any mind. 

“Get dressed first, then come find me,” Luna said before she disappeared into her room. Harry went into his room and immediately locked the door and sprawled out onto his futon. 

How was he going to get through tonight? While he had tried pole dancing once before when he was very drunk, he hadn’t done it particularly well. Harry looked around, wondering if they had given him a phone so he could look for videos. No such luck. 

Harry sighed. Fine, okay. So he was going to have to figure out how to look good on the pole while knowing nothing. Luna said she was going to help him, but could she really? Pole dancing seemed like something you might not be able to pick up in one night. 

Well, even if he sucked, at least he would look cute. Harry looked at the bags next to him. In different circumstances, he would be happy that he got to show off his new clothes. His hand gripped his hair as a memory popped into his head:

_“Don’t make me look bad,” Grindelwald said while looking him over. “At least you look presentable.” Harry composed himself, before he was being pulled into the other room where their usual guests were waiting. Everyone wore formal clothes, some wore masquerade-style masks, others wore animal masks that completely covered up their faces._

_“Gellert, Harry,” a man said, standing up. Familiar face, but he didn’t know his name. “I assume everything is taken care of.” There was so much Harry did not know. It was maddening. While this was a semi-regular occurrence, he never got used to these meetings. Didn’t even know what he was doing here, really. He never could remember much, only flashes and the morning after, and he never quite felt right._

_Grindelwald nodded. “Of course. Tonight is very important after all.”_

It’s like they cut the rest of the memory out of his mind. All of the memories of those times were vague and cut off abruptly. While he couldn’t remember exactly what happened, he felt it.

It was bad - that was all he knew. Did Grindelwald make him do stuff like this? Did he do the same thing he did the other night and pimp out? 

Harry’s grip on his hair intensified. What if they were so bad his mind just repressed those memories? What if they’d come up tonight as he danced? Anxiety and dread mixed in his gut and his thoughts started racing despite him trying to squash them down. 

Harry surged up, eyes darting around his room trying to find the bag of ann. When he finally found it, he laid out a line of it, deciding to start with a small dose then work his way up, not wanting to repeat last night. While Grindelwald had made him take it orally, Harry decided to snort it this time. 

He just needed his mind to stop. All of the bullshit he went through to just go away and everything to be how he wanted it to be: Easy. Straightforward. _Good_. 

Harry looked into the mirror and sighed. He looked tired and worn out, his hair looked like a rat’s nest and something looked almost manic about him. Not stripper material, but at least he had makeup and cute clothes. 

He started getting ready, trying not to cry. 

_God_ , what the fuck was his life. 

The drug didn’t take long to kick in. There was something soothing about ann - quieting his thoughts better than any drug had done before. His muscles relaxed and he unclenched his fists on the vanity before taking a breath. 

He just had to get through this; had to relax and bide his time as he figured out how to kill Grindelwald. 

He would get through this. 

He _had_ to.

* * *

Luna did, in fact, help him improve. They spent an hour going over the basics, giving tips on how to look like he knew what he was doing. 

“I can teach you more later if you want,” she said. “I know that’s a lot of information all at once, but you’ll get the hang of it. You’re a natural!” 

Harry shrugged, not knowing how to take the compliment. “What about lap dances?” 

“They’re a little easier than pole dancing. It’s important to make sure they’re not taking advantage of you. Clients will try to break the rules and get off while not paying you well…” Luna goes on to explain the rules and some easy tips on lap dancing. 

While he didn’t feel completely “prepared” in any sense of the word, at least he wasn’t going to make a complete ass in front of everyone. 

“Thank you Luna, for all of your help.” 

“No problem, always willing to help a friend.” She gave him a soft smile, reaching for his hand and squeezed. “You’ll do amazing - I just know it.” 

While most of the time he didn’t believe people who wanted to call themselves his friend, there was something so earnest about Luna that it just felt right.

Harry hummed, not knowing what else to say. 

Luna looked at the clock hanging above her door. “Time sure does fly.” 

It was 8:19 - he was going on in eleven minutes. He steeled himself as he snorted another line of ann. 

Showtime.

* * *

Surprisingly, things went well. Harry was awkward at times, not quite knowing how to move his body in the right ways, but he made a decent amount of money. While all of it was supposed to go to Grindelwald, Harry pocketed a few 20s without anyone noticing. 

“Harry! You were so good up there!” Luna said after he got off the stage. 

“Er, thanks.” He could tell from being around Luna that he was going to need to get better at receiving compliments. 

“I’m up in thirty minutes, but I was thinking we could eat a little ice cream together to celebrate your first time on the pole.” Harry nodded, a smile playing on his lips. If a moment like this could happen here, maybe there _was_ hope. Harry tried not to think about it too much as they went to go eat ice cream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh honestly almost named the drug Karen lmao. Also, I fucking love Luna. 
> 
> I love the idea of recing music each chapter. This was the [music](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEUzgcqJMMI&list=LLnGGviCMwPnOMAJq7b05PTw&index=1) I was listening to as I was writing this. Nothing like some house music from Berlin to really set the tone. 
> 
> Tom comes in next chapter. ;) 
> 
> Reviews and kudos greatly appreciated! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much [relic_crown](https://archiveofourown.org/users/relic_crown/pseuds/relic_crown) for betaing and making this so much better.

When he was a child, Tom dreamt of being the Prime Minister. 

It was a simple dream, really. If he were the Prime Minister, he would have all he ever longed for: fame, wealth, and power - of others seeing him for what he was: different,  _ better _ in every sense of the word. Tom was, after all, smarter and more cunning than anyone he knew. He was charming, and knew how to get people to do what he wanted: all of which were attributes a good politician needed. 

The dream changed as he aged and maturity solidified reality. Politicians relied on connections and wealth that an orphan like him would have a hard time acquiring. He would have to work harder than most for a payoff he wasn’t sure he wanted. After all, politicians were puppets for the wealthy. There was power there, but not the kind of power he was looking for. 

True power, he realized, was in the shadows. Puppets were only as powerful as their masters - and Tom planned to rise to such status that even his puppets were the strongest in this world. 

When he was old enough to join the mafia, he did. Not long after, he started formulating his plan to kill mob boss Grindelwald and take his spot. 

Tom slowly climbed the hierarchy, gathered intel, and became well-liked inside and out of the mafia. After five years, Grindelwald made Tom his right hand man, and he played his role well: completing every mission with ease, going above and beyond for the organization in ways no one else could. 

His plan to kill Grindelwald didn’t solidify until he started complaining about a boy named Harry Potter. 

“ - the bitch then left the country without telling me. He’s working at Red Hot now. I have half a mind to kill him, but I want my money back before I gut him,” Grindelwald snarled. His hands gripped the table they were sitting at, knuckles white, his expression reminiscent of a feral dog’s. “And then he got addicted to ann, the bitch. More money out to feed his habit.”

This didn’t surprise Tom. Ann was a nasty drug that Grindelwald and a chemist named Severus Snape had concocted two years ago. While it was relatively new on the market, use had skyrocketed in the last year because of its tame side effects and high addiction rate. 

Tom kept his face neutral and attentive as the other ranted. Grindelwald had few weaknesses, and his anger was the most useful: it kept his tongue loose enough that important information slipped often.

“You can always sell him at the auction coming up,” Tom said when Grindelwald finally stopped ranting.

“I did want to torture him, but this could be worse.” Grindelwald paused, a mad gleam in his eyes. “Maybe I could do both. Sell him then buy him back later at a lower price. Torture him after he’s been broken by someone else.” 

“I could keep tabs on him if you’d like. Make sure you can buy him back when the time is right.”

Grindelwald nodded, a sharp smile playing on his lips. “Sounds perfect.” Grindelwald then shifted topics, going on to explain Tom’s next job.

Tom took a sip of his tea, smirking into his cup. Soon, he’d be the one giving orders.

He couldn’t wait.

* * *

Three weeks passed in a blur. Work got easier in ways, but he never got used to it. 

Harry snorted a line of ann before putting on his eyeliner and lip gloss. He stood up to admire himself in the mirror, hand smoothing down his mesh shirt and leather chaps. Damn, he looked  _ good _ . And to think it would all be wasted on his clients. It was a shame, really.

He did a line of coke this time to stimulate his mood so that he could keep feeling this good. For Harry, there were two types of mania: the kind that felt overwhelmingly fast and easy to spiral in and the kind that felt like heaven. The second kind was rarer, but when it did happen, Harry made sure to enjoy and prolong it as much as he could. 

And drugs, especially ann, helped. 

Though if he were being honest with himself, Harry knew that it wasn’t conducive to plotting Grindelwald’s death. Mania helped. So did the lack of panic and anxiety attacks. But it made his mind foggy and unclear which made plotting more difficult. 

And yet, he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop now. Being sober, with his mental health the way it was, just wasn’t an option. He’d find a way to do both. He would. 

The odds weren’t in his favor though: Grindelwald ran one of the biggest crime syndicates in Europe. Harry was just...Harry. 

His only ideas were variations of “get Grindelwald alone by using their past then kill him with a knife from the kitchen.” Grindelwald hadn’t come to Red Hot at all since he dropped him off here, and he had no clue if or when he’d stop by next. Harry’s plan probably only had a fifty percent chance of working, but he wasn’t going to roll over. No one but him would decide his fate. 

Still, the thought of death lingered. The hollowness of what could be his end haunted him. A nightmare of endless black, of simply not existing and not  _ knowing _ . He pushed down the image of his dead family, trying to forget their fate.

Before an existential crisis could consume him, he did another line of ann, numbing those feelings. He checked the clock on his wall to see he had ten more minutes before he was up. Harry stood and stretched before shaking off any jitters. 

The ten minutes flew by and before he knew it, he was on stage, dancing.

His eyes scanned the crowd. His regulars were here - some women, but mostly older men. Most of his regulars came at least once a week, and some nearly everyday. His eyes stopped on a new face: a younger man with black hair combed perfectly back, and beautiful amber eyes, dressed in a crisp well-fitted suit. 

Their eyes met and the man smirked. He took out twenty pounds and slipped it into Harry’s waistband as Harry danced close to him, their skin brushing. His touch was warm and electric. More than anything, it felt dangerous. 

He turned his attention back to the others as they followed the man’s lead and put more money in the waistband of his chaps. Slowly, Harry took off more of his clothes until he was only in his jockstrap. 

The man’s gaze burned in its intensity as he danced on the pole. There was something about him that drew Harry in. Made him want to know more. And yet, he felt caution. Who was he?

Time passed quickly and before he knew it, his dance had ended. Tonight was a big haul - bigger than usual. Usually he made around three to four hundred pounds, but tonight, he made around nine hundred. 

While his housing and food were covered, they didn’t give him any extra money to spend. While Harry didn’t spend any of the money he took (as it would be too suspicious), he knew he would need money after he killed Grindelwald.  _ If  _ he killed Grindelwald. 

The crowd cheered as he blew them a kiss. He made sure to grab at least a hundred of his earnings before anyone noticed, put his clothes back on, and got off stage. Craving alcohol, he headed to the bar and ordered the most expensive martini on the menu. One perk of working here was that he could get as many free drinks as he wanted. While he didn’t usually drink martinis, he liked the idea of spending Grindelwald’s money in every way possible. Even if it was through drinking overpriced martinis. 

As he waited for his drink, the man from earlier came behind him. 

“Let me buy you a drink,” he said, his voice like velvet. 

Harry turned around and smiled. The man just looked like he was good in bed and Harry rarely found men like that disappointing. “Don’t bother. I get them for free.” The other man frowned slightly as Harry grabbed his martini from the bar and took a sip. “Better use of your money would be a lap dance.” 

Something flickered in his eyes - amusement? - before it was gone and his mask slipped back onto his face. “How about I do you one better and buy a private session?” 

Harry’s brow rose. He hadn’t done a private session since his first day here. It had been scarring in many ways, and Harry didn’t want to repeat the experience. 

The other man added, “I don’t want to do anything. Just to talk.” 

Just talk? Harry took another sip of his martini as he stared at the other. All that money for a private session just to… talk? The other man clearly wanted something from Harry. He had half the mind to say no, but something intuitively told him that it would be worth it. Whatever it was. “Sure.”

The other man gave a small smirk before going to the manager and paying him with a wad of cash. Rodolphus nodded before slipping him a key. Harry finished his martini as the man came back. “Shall we?” They walked together towards the back in silence, entering an empty room. 

This room was cleaner than the last backroom he was in There were no windows, but it was still somehow bright. The white walls had a few abstractionist pieces of art that matched the red and gold furniture. The man sat down in a chair right next to the bed. 

“You’re probably wondering why I brought you back here,” the other man said as he leaned back into the chair. He took out a cigarette and lit it, breathing in the smoke before slowly letting it out. 

Harry nodded, not moving from his spot by the door. 

“I’ll keep this brief.” The man met Harry’s eyes, “I’ll start with a question: how do you feel about Grindelwald?” 

Harry’s face contorted for a moment. His eyes narrowed. “Why?” 

Was this one of Grindelwald’s men? Why was he  _ asking _ ?

The man took another drag, never breaking eye contact. “Good. I had guessed you weren’t too fond of him, but you can never be too careful.” 

“What’s this about?” 

“I won’t mince words. I want to kill Grindelwald and I want your help.” 

Harry blinked. That was the last thing he expected to come out of the man’s mouth. He had expected him to ask for information before this. Not that Harry was complaining. A part of him wanted to jump on the offer right away, but there was so much he didn’t know. So much that could go wrong.

“Why do you need my help? You seem very capable.” Harry walked to the other chair across from the other man’s chair and sat. “You could ask anyone you wanted to - why me?”

“Simple - I need a catalyst.” 

“You didn’t answer my questions.” 

The other leaned over and put out his cigarette on the hardwood floor. “In a month from now, there will be an auction. It’s one of the biggest human trafficking auctions in Europe: a big money maker. And Grindelwald will try to auction you off.” 

Harry snarled at the idea, rage filling him. The fucker. He was going to try to auction  _ him  _ off? No, he'd rather die taking Grindelwald out then that. “When is the event?” he said through clenched teeth. 

“November 2nd to the 5th.”

“Say I did help you, what would you want me to do?” Harry asked as he tried to calm his anger, leaning into the effects of the drugs and alcohol in his system. It didn’t take long before he felt a bit more calm and collected. 

“I want you to take the others and escape. Maybe shoot a guard or two. Just enough disruption so that if he does, say, go missing, no one will notice. Not until I want them to anyways.” 

Easy enough. Harry could do that. Though something about him not being the one to kill Grindelwald didn’t sit right with him. “Is there any way I could kill him instead?” 

The man studied him for a moment, most likely weighing the possibility in his mind. “No. Too risky.” 

Harry didn’t like that answer but knew that this might be the only way to freedom.

He didn’t really have a choice, did he? 

Harry sighed. “I’ll help you.” It was either this or relying on his own half baked plan. He needed to take Grindelwald down. 

The other man smiled, his mask slipping completely to allow a hint of smugness to reach his eyes. He looked beyond pleased. 

“I never introduced myself.” He moved to stand in front of Harry’s chair, extending his hand. “My name’s Tom Riddle. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're so close to Grindelwald's death. I'm so excited lol. 
> 
> [music rec for this chapter](https://youtu.be/tl0rACi5pyk)
> 
> Reviews and kudos are greatly appreciated! :)


End file.
